California Enacts Law to Prevent Sex Abuse in Schools After BI Story

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Tuesday aimed at preventing sexual abuse in K-12 schools in the state. The legislation was triggered by Business Insider’s 2023 investigation into a California high school.

The Safe Learning Environments Act, sponsored by state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez of Pasadena, will require public and private schools in California to revise their comprehensive safety plans to specifically address sexual abuse and employee sexual misconduct.

It also establishes a new database aimed at preventing employees who face credible misconduct allegations from quitting and being rehired at another school.

The legislation comes two years after an investigation by Business Insider’s Matt Drange detailed evidence of decades of sexual abuse at Rosemead High School, which is located in Sen. Pérez’s district.

That investigation found that employees who faced misconduct allegations were able to keep that information secret by switching schools — known colloquially as “passing the trash.” That’s despite several other states having laws aimed at preventing the practice.

The new law also comes after a slew of sexual abuse-related lawsuits against California high schools in recent years.

“I am grateful to the Governor for signing this legislation. This law will protect children from sexual misconduct committed by school employees. It is that simple,” Pérez said in a statement. “We all recognize most teachers, and classified staff are dedicated professionals, but even a tiny fraction of school employees who engage in child abuse can do catastrophic harm. SB 848 will create a system to protect our students.”

Rosemead High School did not respond to a request for comment.

The bill passed the state assembly and Senate near-unanimously last month. It is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.